The depths to which the once-mighty West Indies cricket team has sunk in all three formats is a cause for alarm, but it is a dire situation that has persisted since the mid-90s. An indication of the low ebb was seen in the second and final Test at New Delhi in which their batsmen, in the follow-on, managed to drag the match into the fifth day on Tuesday before losing by seven wickets. That this was seen as a glimmer of hope for the beleaguered side just goes to show what a pathetic state of affairs persists in the once-proud Caribbean island nations. But then, consider they were routed by an innings inside of three days in the first Test at Ahmedabad.
Veteran cricket lovers can scarcely believe the West Indies have not won a Test series in India since the 3-0 rout they pulled off in the 6-Test series here in 1983-84. That was their fifth straight series rubber in India since winning the first one in 1948-49. In the 23 Tests played over the five series in that period of 35 years, the West Indies won 12 and lost just two Tests. And India has not lost a series in the West Indies since 2006.
It is hard to imagine any Test side could sink lower than the shock 27 all out against Australia at Kingston, Jamaica, last July, the second lowest total in Test cricket history by just a single run. And that by a team that lost just one Test series in the period from 1975-76 to 1994-95.
As if that were not bad enough, their form in limited overs/white ball cricket has also been poor, missing out on qualifying for the 2023 World Cup (50 overs) and being in danger of missing out on the next edition in 2027 as well. T20 is considered their strongest format. How then to explain the shocking defeat last month at the hands of lowly Nepal?
According to master opening batsman Sunil Gavaskar, their batsmen have the talent but lack the application and hard work vital in the longest format. The less said about their new ball attack, the better. Undoubtedly, the lure of big money in the worldwide T20 franchise leagues has deprived them of some of their best players. But one can hardly blame them since the West Indies Cricket Board is one of the most impoverished. And remember, the West Indies is not a national team at all; it is a combination of all the island nations across the Caribbean who form a joint side just for cricket and cricket alone. Hence, appealing to their sense of patriotism is futile.
The need of the hour is to form two groups of Test teams, with promotion and relegation the norm. And the West Indies must find themselves clubbed with the likes of Bangladesh, Ireland and Afghanistan!
